SFS Awards: Aragon Hydrogen Foundation recognized for excellence

The Aragon Hydrogen Foundation Aragon has been recognised as a finalist in the prestigious Healthy, Flexible and Sustainable Business Awards (SFS). To find out more about the initiatives that have led to this achievement, we interviewedClara Estallo, Head of Support and People Area (HR), who details the measures that are making a difference in our organisation.

• • What does it mean for the Aragon Hydrogen Foundation to be a finalist in these SFS awards?

    For us, being a finalist in the Healthy, Flexible and Sustainable Company (SFS) Awards is a very special recognition. It represents a validation of our efforts to create a working environment that prioritise people’s well-being, flexibility at work and commitment to sustainability. It is also a recognition of those entities with low budgets, such as ours, because organisational wellbeing should not be based on financial balances. This achievement fills us with pride and encourages us to continue innovating in our working practices.

• • What are the main initiatives that have stood out in achieving this recognition?

    We have been working for about two years now, under the framework of the programme Hydrogen & Health: H2.It consists of four pillars: physical care, psychosocial care, communication and leadership. The measures where we have put more focus are those related to psychosocial care and leadership, working hand in hand, in human development, with team leaders. We also encourage the use of clean energy and promote sustainability in our daily work, in line with our mission as a Foundation.

  • What role do the values of sustainability and flexibility play in the Foundation’s culture?

    These are fundamental pillars. Sustainability is not only part of our purpose, but also an approach that we apply in our working environment. We have a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) statement as an entity, to work on the goals from the heart of the entity. On the other hand, we believe that flexibility is key for our employees to find a balance between their personal and professional lives. Most of our staff live between Huesca and Zaragoza, so flexibility measures make it possible for a person’s work and life to come together in the best possible way. Having a flexible culture strengthens commitment.

• • Can you give us concrete examples of actions that promote the health and well-being of employees?

    Of course. We organise training activities and workshops on mental health, stress management and promoting healthy habits. We also have flexible working hours and the possibility of teleworking, which has had a very positive impact on the quality of life of our team. Working with team leaders is also very remarkable, as we do not do packaged or typical courses. We advocate for trainings focused on their own personal development, to work on self-awareness and consciousness.

  • What key learning or experience have you gained from being finalists?

    We have learned that there is always room for improvement and that the initiatives we implement have a real impact on people. Being finalists reaffirms that we are on the right track, but also motivates us to continue exploring new ways to be a healthy, flexible and sustainable organisation.

  • What message would you give to other companies that want to be healthier, more sustainable and flexible?

    My advice would be to listen to your team. . Be close to each person. Every organisation is unique, what may be useful to some entities may not be useful to others. The well-being of people should always be a priority. Investing in health benefits employees and the organisation in the medium and long term.

• How do you see the Aragon Hydrogen Foundation in the future regarding this kind of initiatives?

  We envision ourselves leading by example, not only in the field of sustainable energy, but also as a benchmark for healthy and flexible working practices.. We want to continue to grow as a place where people feel valued and motivated to do their best. We want to care for the people who care for the planet.